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Theory and simulations for RNA folding in mixtures of monovalent and divalent cations.

ABSTRACT: RNA molecules cannot fold in the absence of counterions. Experiments are typically performed in the presence of monovalent and divalent cations. How to treat the impact of a solution containing a mixture of both ion types on RNA folding has remained a challenging problem for decades. By exploiting the large concentration difference between divalent and monovalent ions used in experiments, we develop a theory based on the reference interaction site model (RISM), which allows us to treat divalent cations explicitly while keeping the implicit screening effect due to monovalent ions. Our theory captures both the inner shell and outer shell coordination of divalent cations to phosphate groups, which we demonstrate is crucial for an accurate calculation of RNA folding thermodynamics. The RISM theory for ion-phosphate interactions when combined with simulations based on a transferable coarse-grained model allows us to predict accurately the folding of several RNA molecules in a mixture containing monovalent and divalent ions. The calculated folding free energies and ion-preferential coefficients for RNA molecules (pseudoknots, a fragment of the rRNA, and the aptamer domain of the adenine riboswitch) are in excellent agreement with experiments over a wide range of monovalent and divalent ion concentrations. Because the theory is general, it can be readily used to investigate ion and sequence effects on DNA properties.

SUBMITTER: Nguyen HT

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6800359 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Theory and simulations for RNA folding in mixtures of monovalent and divalent cations.

Nguyen Hung T HT Hori Naoto N Thirumalai D D

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20190930 42

RNA molecules cannot fold in the absence of counterions. Experiments are typically performed in the presence of monovalent and divalent cations. How to treat the impact of a solution containing a mixture of both ion types on RNA folding has remained a challenging problem for decades. By exploiting the large concentration difference between divalent and monovalent ions used in experiments, we develop a theory based on the reference interaction site model (RISM), which allows us to treat divalent ...[more]

PMID: 31570624

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Project description:We report on the influence of pH and monovalent/divalent cations on the catalytic current response, internal electron transfer (IET), and structure of fructose dehydrogenase (FDH) by using amperometry, spectrophotometry, and circular dichroism (CD). Amperometric measurements were performed on graphite electrodes, onto which FDH was adsorbed and the effect on the response current to fructose was investigated when varying the pH and the concentrations of divalent/monovalent cations in the contacting buffer. In the presence of 10 mM CaCl2, a current increase of up to ? 240% was observed, probably due to an intra-complexation reaction between Ca2+ and the aspartate/glutamate residues found at the interface between the dehydrogenase domain and the cytochrome domain of FDH. Contrary to CaCl2, addition of MgCl2 did not show any particular influence, whereas addition of monovalent cations (Na+ or K+) led to a slight linear increase in the maximum response current. To complement the amperometric investigations, spectrophotometric assays were carried out under homogeneous conditions in the presence of a 1-electron non-proton-acceptor, cytochrome c, or a 2-electron-proton acceptor, 2,6-dichloroindophenol (DCIP), respectively. In the case of cytochrome c, it was possible to observe a remarkable increase in the absorbance up to 200% when 10 mM CaCl2 was added. However, by further increasing the concentration of CaCl2 up to 50 mM and 100 mM, a decrease in the absorbance with a slight inhibition effect was observed for the highest CaCl2 concentration. Addition of MgCl2 or of the monovalent cations shows, surprisingly, no effect on the electron transfer to the electron acceptor. Contrary to the case of cytochrome c, with DCIP none of the cations tested seem to affect the rate of catalysis. In order to correlate the results obtained by amperometric and spectrophotometric measurements, CD experiments have been performed showing a great structural change of FDH when increasing the concentration CaCl2 up to 50 mM, at which the enzyme molecules start to agglomerate, hindering the substrate access to the active site probably due to a chelation reaction occurring at the enzyme surface with the glutamate/aspartate residues. Graphical Abstract Fructose dehydrogenase (FDH) consists of three subunits, but only two are involved in the electron transfer process: (I) 2e-/2H+ fructose oxidation, (II) internal electron transfer (IET), (III) direct electron transfer (DET) through 2 heme c; FDH activity either in solution or when immobilized onto an electrode surface is enhanced about 2.5-fold by adding 10 mM CaCl2 to the buffer solution, whereas MgCl2 had an "inhibition" effect. Moreover, the additions of KCl or NaCl led to a slight current increase.

Dataset Information

Theory and simulations for RNA folding in mixtures of monovalent and divalent cations.

Publications

Theory and simulations for RNA folding in mixtures of monovalent and divalent cations.

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